HTC: A brief history in solid handset designs

Now that HTC’s big fat cat is out of the bag, everyone is up in arms over the HTC One’s stunning design, which isn’t too surprising considering that it’s premium in every aspect. Naturally, it shouldn’t surprise many, especially when the Taiwanese company is renowned for designing some of the best looking devices in the last several years – and of course, this latest smartphone is looking likely to be another win for them. Come to think about it, HTC has been fairly consistent when it comes to quality design, and in some ways, they’re unrivaled in this category.

Heck, even looking over their portfolio during the early years, it was evident that they had a craft for stunning designs. And of course, the more they kept on pumping things out, the more they kept on refining them. With each device they released, they simply kept on raising the bar and moving things in an incremental manner. More recently, we’ve been blessed with such head turners as the HTC DROID DNA, One X, One S, Windows Phone 8X, Titan, Sensation, and ChaCha. All of them are unique in their own way, but if there’s one thing they all have in common, it’s that they’re able to catch the attention of people from afar thanks primarily to their meticulous designs.

Sometimes not the case, but probably so, we as human beings are more akin in being attracted to lovely looking things – and that’s the case with our gadgets too! We look first before other things, mainly for the reason that we have this unseen bond to things that tickle our fancy. So obviously, when we come across something different or out of the norm, our interest is piqued to the extent that we end up being captivated by them. Circling back to HTC, that’s exactly the feeling we get whenever they unveil something that decides to be either risky or unconventional.

The more we think deeply about the whole thing, we can’t help but to admire some of the wonderful devices HTC has put out in the past that delighted us. From their humble beginnings to some game changing devices in the last couple of years, we’ve always been tantalized by their lineup – so without further wait, let’s take a peek at HTC’s history in solid handset designs. What are some of your old favorites?

Oh the HTC Touch, it was one of the devices put out to compete head on against the original iPhone. Although it didn’t quite pan out to be a mega success, its design helped to establish a new path for them. Gone was the hulky and plastic designs with their previous Windows Mobile phones, replaced with a more compact body complemented by its soft touch matte finish.

HTC Touch

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Talk about solid industrial designs! This beauty of a smartphone looked wonderful as a render, but even better in the flesh. Donning a diamond faceted design in the rear, it undoubtedly lived up to its name one hundred percent.

HTC Touch Diamond

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Candybar designs are one things, but the landscape QWERTY form factor has always been a strong point with HTC. Evident in the original HTC Touch Pro, this device, much like the original Touch Diamond, also looked magnificent as a render, but managed to turn out exceptionally well physically. And that keyboard too! It was simply spacious and well thought out with its layout.

HTC Touch Pro

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Being a successive device, the Touch Diamond2 scaled up big time with its design. Sporting a larger display than its predecessor, it flaunted a significantly cleaner look with its hard lines.

HTC Touch Diamond2

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Arguably a form factor that they rarely decide to go with, the HTC Snap might not come to mind as being one of the most compelling things to come out of HTC’s R&D department, but seriously, it showed us that they’re not afraid to experiment. For a portrait QWERTY, it undeniably rivaled the things put out by BlackBerry.

HTC Snap

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So how did the HTC Touch Pro 2 impress with its design? Well, for starters, it went the super-size route. More importantly, though, they improved the keyboard by giving it that tilting feature – to make it more akin to a laptop.

HTC Touch Pro 2

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The term massive wasn’t really established until the release of the HTC Touch HD. Nowadays, we’re constantly bombarded with these phones with humungous screens, but the Touch HD proved to us that people were really interested in them.

HTC Touch HD

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The chin! The chin! How can we forget this one? Especially when it was one of the early Android smartphones to undoubtedly enthrall us by its solid industrial design. Admittedly, the chin on this handset helped to give it a very distinctive look – something that we didn’t see prior to this.

HTC Hero

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Holy Smokes! When we think long and hard about impeccable industrial designs, we can’t help but think about the HTC HD2. Regarded as one of the last great Windows Mobile devices, it truly epitomized industrial design to the teeth. Sure, it managed to captivate us with its then humungous size, but at the same time, its slim body and premium choice of materials helped to immortalize it.

HCTC HD2

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Ah, the original Google phone. The one and only Google Nexus One! Commissioned to produce the first “Google” branded device, HTC made damn sure to deliver the goods. Come to think about it, the Nexus One was one of the first smartphones to introduce us to the term “unibody construction” – something that’s remarkably commonplace in this day and age.

Google Nexus One

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In the last several years, HTC has been lax when it comes to QWERTY devices in general, but despite that, the T-Mobile G2 remains to be a fine achievement in the landscape QWERTY form factor category. Rather than sticking to the usual landscape QWERTY design, the G2 employed a very different mechanism when it came to exposing its keyboard.

Oh the HTC Touch, it was one of the devices put out to compete head on against the original iPhone. Although it didn’t quite pan out to be a mega success, its design helped to establish a new path for them. Gone was the hulky and plastic designs with their previous Windows Mobile phones, replaced with a more compact body complemented by its soft touch matte finish.

HTC: A brief history in solid handset designs

1. HTC Touch

Oh the HTC Touch, it was one of the devices put out to compete head on against the original iPhone. Although it didn’t quite pan out to be a mega success, its design helped to establish a new path for them. Gone was the hulky and plastic designs with their previous Windows Mobile phones, replaced with a more compact body complemented by its soft touch matte finish.

2. HTC Touch Diamond

Talk about solid industrial designs! This beauty of a smartphone looked wonderful as a render, but even better in the flesh. Donning a diamond faceted design in the rear, it undoubtedly lived up to its name one hundred percent.

3. HTC Touch Pro

Candybar designs are one things, but the landscape QWERTY form factor has always been a strong point with HTC. Evident in the original HTC Touch Pro, this device, much like the original Touch Diamond, also looked magnificent as a render, but managed to turn out exceptionally well physically. And that keyboard too! It was simply spacious and well thought out with its layout.

4. HTC Touch Diamond2

Being a successive device, the Touch Diamond2 scaled up big time with its design. Sporting a larger display than its predecessor, it flaunted a significantly cleaner look with its hard lines.

5. HTC Snap

Arguably a form factor that they rarely decide to go with, the HTC Snap might not come to mind as being one of the most compelling things to come out of HTC’s R&D department, but seriously, it showed us that they’re not afraid to experiment. For a portrait QWERTY, it undeniably rivaled the things put out by BlackBerry.

6. HTC Touch Pro 2

So how did the HTC Touch Pro 2 impress with its design? Well, for starters, it went the super-size route. More importantly, though, they improved the keyboard by giving it that tilting feature – to make it more akin to a laptop.

7. HTC Touch HD

The term massive wasn’t really established until the release of the HTC Touch HD. Nowadays, we’re constantly bombarded with these phones with humungous screens, but the Touch HD proved to us that people were really interested in them.

8. HTC Hero

The chin! The chin! How can we forget this one? Especially when it was one of the early Android smartphones to undoubtedly enthrall us by its solid industrial design. Admittedly, the chin on this handset helped to give it a very distinctive look – something that we didn’t see prior to this.

9. HCTC HD2

Holy Smokes! When we think long and hard about impeccable industrial designs, we can’t help but think about the HTC HD2. Regarded as one of the last great Windows Mobile devices, it truly epitomized industrial design to the teeth. Sure, it managed to captivate us with its then humungous size, but at the same time, its slim body and premium choice of materials helped to immortalize it.

10. Google Nexus One

Ah, the original Google phone. The one and only Google Nexus One! Commissioned to produce the first “Google” branded device, HTC made damn sure to deliver the goods. Come to think about it, the Nexus One was one of the first smartphones to introduce us to the term “unibody construction” – something that’s remarkably commonplace in this day and age.

11. T-Mobile G2

In the last several years, HTC has been lax when it comes to QWERTY devices in general, but despite that, the T-Mobile G2 remains to be a fine achievement in the landscape QWERTY form factor category. Rather than sticking to the usual landscape QWERTY design, the G2 employed a very different mechanism when it came to exposing its keyboard.

53.wendygarett (unregistered)

Why sony fans and HTC fans fighting each other? I'm sorry but I will criticize both...

sony fans!!! You do realize that your 1st Xperia x1 is made by HTC? Without HTC, you would already die for not getting support, also HTC is also the one who persuade sony to join android because HTC has vision that android has bright future, your Xperia x10 is an awesome device because of HTC as well...

HTC fans!!! Without PlayStation certified, will your device be integrated to the upcoming ps4?
And why are you saying the Xperia z is obsolete? Just because of snapdragon s4 pro? If so please compare your ONE to the zl instead, because you never appreciate the beauty of Xperia z build quality (water resistant) and keep claiming your aluminum is better just because of premium feel? Stop talking like an ifans please...

I've owned most of those (all versions that have been on Sprint minus the snap and pro 2 and the design) up to the EVO 4g LTE and they have made a progression that I can enjoy but my FAVORITE was Sprints Hero.

and I've owned all 3 of Sprints Galaxys + nexus although their design has progression I've never been wowed by them out side of screen.

Sony earns lot of respect for their originality. Take any other company in last 2 3 years and see who else gain such a respect? You can count Nokia in this line too though and earlier designs from HTC was very original and beautiful. Of course Motorola's designs are always great too.

haha Your idea of perfect must be different from mine but the HTC One already has more flaws than any 2012 Samsung flagship already. Crappy button placement of the physical and capacitive buttons. Huge bezels that make the phone just as big as a 5 inch phone and much bigger than other 4.7-4.8 inch phones. Also 9.3 is pretty chunky for such a small battery compared to the sleek 7.9 mm Xperia Z. That is just off the top of my head and there are a lot more issues I am sure the Samsung flagship won't have.

Yes, I know that the HTC One tapers down to 4mm but that only improves the feeling in the hand. The fat 9.3 mm is still felt in the pocket.

The Sony Xperia Z is already obsolete & it's not even out yet, compared to the mighty HTC One. The Xperia Z is 2012 tech with an OK body. Now the HTC One's design totally outclasses the Xperia Z in every way.

Sure the Xperia Z is dust & water proof but the HTC One is the epidemy of sexy & great build quality, not to mention that the One destroys the Xperia in pure unadulterated power.

Do yourself a favor get a HTC One & forget the Xperia Z because that phone like I said before is already obsolete.

I say the last of the old guard was the HTC Droid DNA & Butterfly J. The Sony Xperia Z is a direct clone of the Butterfly J because it has everything the Z does & its water proof also. Not to mention it came out Oct. Of 2012.

I have said it many times the Xperia Z came out way to late. Why would anyone get that when in weeks the HTC One will be out right after the Z?

You are confusing design with specs dude. Specs; The One may have a slight edge over the Z but the Z is far from obsolete. It's actually a quite zippy device.
Design; Both are beautiful but it's the Z that looks more unusual, unique and iconic. The One is good looking but completely derivate. Sorry dude but this is the truth.

An answer from an HTC shill lol...
haha there's radical HTC fanboys everywhere.
As a consumers and not an enthusiast in phones, I do not care about whether it's Qualcomm 600 or Qualcomm S4. I go for quality = Xperia Z.
That's why Sony thrashed HTC is sales number for its quality that HTC couldn't match.

You are talking about VERY recent history. What about all the years HTC dominated Sony? OK keep looking at just the recent history, fact is the HTC One dominated the Sony Xperia Z in all aspects.

Let's see who sells more phones this time around. HTC is on a roll recently. The HTC Droid DNA, & the HTC Butteryfly J are selling really well. The HTC One will ride that wave very, very far. It's a very epic piece of pure raw technology from its camera to its screen.

Well... as a professional designer I assess my expertise in design a bit higher than technology experts that have handled the One. This is why I don't object when they write that the One is maybe a bit better than the Z in terms of specs. But when it comes to design, I think I can have a quite accurate opinion of my own; I can also agree about the amazing built quality and accurate design of the One, but it's still a blatant copy of everything that is fashionable at the moment.

OK well thank you for your opinion. Still word around the professional circle is that the HTC One is the BEST looking & well built Android phone comepared to everything that is out there.

If design is your forte then you should agree with the pros that the HTC One is the best looking handset around in the Android world.

HTC innovates with front facing speakers & pure sex appeal. Not to mention a better set of pure tech from top to bottom.

I respect your opinion but I will side with the experts on this one. You talk about blatant copies but the Nexus 4 was pure glass all around & now the Sony Xperia Z is all pure glass. So remember everyone bites from what is fashionable at the moment, as you just cleverly stated.

The Xperia Z looks much sexier than the HTC One. However, the HTC One has a much better screen and internals. I would take performance over looks any day but not everyone else would. Case in point, HTC fans that chose the One X over the GS3.

Well my friend in terms of looks HTC One dont even have a unique one(too much similarities with Z10 and obviously iPhone). And as my personal view goes, after the original iPhone 4 and HTC One S, Sony XZ is the best looking handset. And its not even impractical as the other two mentioned above because to keep their beauty u had to keep them in intensive care. To tell u the truth u might get better performing handset but both the HTC One and Sony XZ are the best you can get in terms of build quality. The performance will fade in just about 6 months but not the looks and thats why everyone should get XZ not the One because as like XZ it will loose its benchmark bragging point in 2 monts from now.

Not really, the is word around the block that the Samsung Galaxy S IV is going to have the same silicon as the HTC One because Samsung is having issues with its Exynos.

So the Sony Xperia Z has the same S4 Pro as my already 4 month old HTC Droid DNA. By the way I LOVE my rooted S-OFF, overclocked HTC Droid DNA. So far these 4 months have been insanely great, the best phone I have ever owned. Way better than the Samsung Galaxy Nexus I had before.

Quad-core with 2GB of RAM, all with the insanely sharp 5" 1080p SLCD 3 is a life changer. I can't imagine what the HTC One is going to be about.

I am going to skip the HTC One because my rooted HTC Droid DNA is so BOSS. Now sit tight & let's all see what the Samsung Galaxy Note III is going to be all about.

@lee480 Really? so tell me what brand you are using now.
I have used both Motorola and Apple and my wife had HTC, currently we both have Samsung and we love it.
I never had Sony phone so I wouldnt know. But in my opinion Samsung makes much better phone than HTC without out of doubt.

Not really Sony just started releasing phones that can compete with the best of the best (in 2012-2013) But Samsung sucks in designing phones to make it look good compared to the others but software and hardware wise they can hold they're own.

Props to you for making a legitimate comeback and in some respects you are correct, but as far as aesthetically appealing I am not so impressed by their companies use of the standard rectangular shape I just feel that Nokia makes some of the most durable products. im personally a fan of curves and smoothness, to each their own.

Huh, apart from the screen placement it doesn't look nothing like a Z10, and the it looks nothing like a Xperia P except for the camera line. You xperia fanboys are really funny, your washed out with poor contrast and viewing angles screens are always the best. According to GSMArena, the Xperia Z has a contrast of 700, which compared to my almost 1 year old One X which has 1400 is quite poor.

I suppose it's the US market in general. We honestly missed out the with the early Xperia Win Mo phones...like the X1 & X2. I think the X10 was one of the first great Android phones I remember using from Sony. Then again, I loved many of their old school candybars...like the t68i, W700, and W580.

Although my 2 last smartphones were Samsung (S2 and S3), I will never forget my first which was HD2. It is a living legend! Dated 2009 I gave it to my father and it is currently running Android 4.2.1 while my S3 is running 4.1.2.
By the way, I still love HTC wayyy more than Samsung! I really feel they are innovative while I can't deny the huge resemblance between Galaxy s1 and iphone 3/3s.
I am really looking forward to see what the One delivers!

Wow! That did absolutely nothing. I am not a fan of their designs. I am however a big fan of LG and Sony designs. For some reason the black monolithic minimalist slabs tickle my fancy much more than HTC phones do.

LG made some sexy looking phones. The original Razr flip was nice too.

HTC has a history of great design & build quality. Sony'sold Erricson phones were busted. Only the new Sony's from mid 2010 to now are decent.

Nokia also has a better history of design & build quality, than Sony.

Are you guys crazy? Does history not count for anything? Sure Sony NOW has alright phones but their history has more crap. Sony has corrected themselves RECENTLY but BOTH HTC & Nokia have been making sexy well build phones for decades.

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